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Schedule of Lok Sabha election 2019 Announced

LokSabhaElection2019 to be held in 7 phases beginning April 11, results to be announced on May 23.

Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will also take place. The Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the entire country with the announcement of the polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced the poll schedule in New Delhi last evening. He said the counting will be held on the 23rd of May. Twenty-two states and Union Territories will have single phase elections, while 4 states will go to polls in two phases.

States undergoing three phases are Assam and Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand while Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha will have four phase polling. Jammu and Kashmir will have five phases and West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will have seven phases.

The much-awaited 2019 Lok Sabha elections are just around the corner. While the Bharatiya Janata Party will look to consolidate their hold at the Centre for a consecutive second term, the Congress party would aim to bounce back after their abysmal performance in 2014.

The National Democratic Alliance government had formed a majority government in 2014 with 336 seats in the Lok Sabha after the BJP secured an absolute majority by winning 282 seats out of the total 545 seats (2 nominated). The Congress party was humbled after 10 years in power, won a measly 44 seats.

However, tables have turned for the Congress in the past five years, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi taking over as the head of the grand old party and spearheading the Opposition’s campaigns.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Sunday announced the dates for the crucial Lok Sabha elections at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. There are approximately 10 lakh polling stations this year compared to 9 lakh last time. Total electorate in this Lok Sabha elections will be 900 million, of which 15 million voters are in the 18-19 age group.

Election Commission has asked political parties to advise their candidates and leaders to desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel in advertisements as part of their election campaign.

The poll panel has written to the Presidents of all parties in this regard. In its letter, the Commission said, it has been brought to the notice that some parties are using the photographs of defence personnel as part of their political campaign.

The Commission cited its 2013 advisory in which it had said that the armed forces are apolitical and natural stakeholders in a modern democracy.

It said, it is necessary that parties and their leaders exercise great caution while making any reference to armed forces